Red Kayak Vocab

Compunction

A strong feeling of guilt or regret about having done something wrong

Culpability

responsibility for wrongdoing or a harmful action

Exoneration

the act of officially or morally clearing someone of blame

Repentance

sincere regret for wrongdoing accompanied by a desire to change

Remorse

profound regret or guilt over one’s actions

Moral quandary

a situation in which a person must choose between difficult moral alternatives

Betrayal

the violation of another person’s trust or loyalty

Complicity

involvement in or responsibility for another person’s wrongdoing

Reticence

reluctance to speak openly or reveal one’s thoughts

Foreboding

a strong sense that something unpleasant or dangerous is about to happen

Introspection

careful examination of one’s own thoughts, feelings, and motives

Equivocation

deliberately using vague or indirect language to avoid committing to the truth

Rationalization

an attempt to justify behaior or decisions with seemingly reasonable explanations

Mitigation

an action or circumstance that makes wrongdoing or its consequences less severe

Retribution

punishment or retaliation for wrongdoing

Vindication

evidence or circumstances that prove someone was right or not responsible for wrongdoing

Reproach

criticism or disappointment directed toward someone because of their actions

Maturation

the process of becoming more emotionally, intellectually, or morally developed

Moral agency

the capacity to make ethical choices and accept responsibility for them

Moral ambiguity

a situation in which the distinction between right and wrong is complicated or uncertain